- TO REFINE EXPLORATION METHODS FOR THE DELINEATION OF METALLOGENIC PROVINCES;
- TO ASSESS GENETIC AND GEOCHEMICAL MODELS AND THEIR VALUE IN EXPLORATION;
- TO SELECT THE MOST EFFICIENT METHODS FOR LOCATING BURIEND MINERALISATION.

THIS PROJECT IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SUB-PROJECTS WITH THEIR OWN OBJECTIVES.
THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME IS ESSENTIALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO FOUR STAGES:

A) PRELIMARY WORK:
COLLECTION AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING DATA.

B) FIELD WORK:
MAPPING AND SAMPLING OF SPECIFIC AREA OF THE BASEMENT AND VOLCANICS WITH EMPHASIS ON MINERALISATION . SEARCH FOR STRUCTURAL FEATUS RELATED TO MINERALISATION. RELATIONSHIP OF METAMORPHIC GRADE AND MINERALISATION.

C) LAB-WORK:
PETROLOGICAL, GEOCHEMICAL AND MINERALOGICAL STUDIES. DETERMINATION OF P, T, P (VOLATILES) CONDITIONS OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF ROCKS - AGE DETERMINATION - FLUID INCLUSIONS AND ISOTOPIC STUDIES - HYDROTHERMAL ALTERATION.

D) DATA EVALUATION:
MANY METHODS WILL BE COMBINED GIVING A NEW DIMENSION IN MINERAL EXPLORATION. THE USE OF ISO-REACTION GRIDMAPS RELATED TO CERTAIN TYPES OF MINERALISATION MAY OPEN A NEW HORIZON IN EXPLORATION. THE FEASIBILITY OF USING FLUID INCLUSIONS, ISOTOPES, ALTERATION PATTERNS AS EXPLORATION TOOL WILL BE ASSESSED. THE BASIC CONCEPT OF SUCH A PROJECT IS TO ESTIMATE THE MINERAL POTENTIAL IN GENERAL, TO ELIMINATE BARREN AREAS WHILE CONCENTRATING THE SEARCH IN THOSE MORE PROMISING, AND FINALLY TO LOCATE AT A LATER STAGE MINERAL DEPOSITS.

THE WORK WILL ALSO COMPRISE:

- INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS BASED ON ANALYSES AND VARIOUS TYPES OF MAPS;
- CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALISATION INTO GENETIC TYPES;
- RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE RESEARCH WILL BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH IGME AND THE UNIVERSITIES OF ATHENS, UTRECHT AND MESSINA.
THE WORK OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON WILL BE CONCENTRATED ON PETROGRAPHY AND METALLOGENY.